Occasionally seen as untraditional, the First Look on a wedding day truly has so many hidden benefits that will probably surprise you! Keep on reading if you want to know why most of my couples choose this option on their wedding day.

Firstly, what is a First Look? A First Look on a wedding day is when the couple see each-other before the ceremony as opposed to seeing each other at the altar. It's a lovely intimate moment that the couple gets to share together, and in most cases, it happens to be the couple's only alone time on their wedding day! Ironic, but true!

If you're on the fence about this tradition, this post will explain why it would be a romantic addition to your wedding day celebration that not only adds to the experience but also reduces stress. Please know that I would never want any of my couples to feel pressured to go with this option. However, I do want to make sure that I share all of the benefits of a First Look because there is a reason 90% of my couples do this and LOVE it!

#1 - 40% MORE PORTRAITS

You’re investing a lot into your wedding photography. With a First Look, you’ll receive 40% MORE portraits of the two of you. Those are the images you will decorate your first home with! With a First Look, you make the most out of this large investment and get the most for your money.

#2 - ENJOY THE SURPRISE FREELY

You actually get to have intimate time on your wedding day with your love. Most couples don’t realize that when you come down the aisle and totally SHOCK your boo with your gorgeous-ness, they can’t even tell you how amazing you look. Your super soon-to-be spouse can’t touch you, embrace you or even SPEAK to you! You have to wait until 30 minutes later when the ceremony is over for them to react and tell you how amazing you look. And after 30 minutes of the ceremony, the reaction just isn’t the same as the initial first glance.

#3 - EXTEND YOUR DAY BY 3 HOURS

First Looks actually allow you to extend your wedding day. Normally the wedding day would start when you come down the aisle, then the ceremony would end, you would rush through portraits so that you’re not late for the introductions and then it’s reception time. With a First Look, your wedding day is extended by almost 3 hours! Instead of being rushed for your bridal party portraits, you actually get to enjoy them and have fun hanging out with your BEST friends on your wedding day! 

#4 - YOUR ONLY ALONE TIME

First Looks allow you to be TOGETHER and alone on your wedding day. For many couples, it is the only time they get to be alone the WHOLE day! There are often tears, and laughs, and more tears… which then puts them in the PERFECT mood for romantic portraits. Normally portraits are a little rushed after the family formals, and it can be hard to really get back into that “lovey dovey” mode... especially with family around! When you have just shared your First Look, you’re READY to love on each other, and I always capture some super sweet images during those moments!

#5 - DIMINISHES NERVES

You get rid of your nerves! I’d say, literally 1/2 of my couples who have decided to do a First Look, weren't initially fans of the idea at first. However, because they have never experienced their wedding day before, they didn’t know how nerve-racking it can be! Many couples have admitted to initially not being a fan of the First Look, but afterwards it was clear they were SO much more relaxed and ready for the ceremony! Continue reading for what my couples had to say.

from the couples

Gab and mat's first look

“I think what people think about when they hear First Look is the emotional, romantic moment when the bride and groom see each other for the first time, and the groom tears up because he finds his bride SO beautiful. However, my husband isn’t the type to tear up, so I knew the moment would be sweet, but not overly emotional. Of course, I still had a bit of knot in my throat and watery eyes at times. But what I found is that doing a First Look is a wonderful way of calming those wedding day jitters. Seeing my husband before the ceremony, just the two of us, reminded me that there was nothing to be nervous about. I enjoyed my walk down the aisle that much more because of it. Being a very practical person, the other bonus about a First Look that I appreciated so much, is that you’re not rushed while taking pictures during cocktail hour! All of the bride and groom shots, and even the wedding party shots are done! So you can enjoy taking pictures with family and friends, all while easily staying on schedule. Overall you just can’t go wrong with a First Look!” 

ali and dom's first look

"We took a while to decide whether we wanted to do a first look or not. I’m definitely a more anxious person than Dom so when Val promised it would be a way to calm any nerves beforehand, I knew it was the right choice. I’m also a private person, so I really enjoyed having some time just the two of us, to chat and connect before being surrounded by people the rest of the day. It was honestly one of the best moments of the whole day, even though we weren’t even married yet! We were completely relaxed for the ceremony and ready to embrace the chaos of the day. Another bonus for brides: your hair and makeup are super fresh for those photos! You have to make about a million decisions when planning a wedding, so just let Val make this one for you. You won’t regret it!”

Gen and seb's first look

“Our First Look went beyond our expectations and more. I’m (the bride) already such an anxious person, and we just wanted the day to be as smooth and effortless as humanly possible -- little to no stressors. For us, the First Look “took the edge off ” the big day. Before we even saw our family, the officiant or any of the ceremony setup, we saw each other. And that little moment tucked away from it all, felt like our little private experience to take a breath. It felt like we snuck away from it all for just a few moments, in order to allow us to reconnect, recenter, and remind ourselves what that day was all about in the end: us. We felt a huge wave of relief fall over both of us, as soon as we saw each other. We hugged, we kissed, we laughed... Any possible nerves or anxiety we’d had at the beginning of the day was suddenly out the window, in an instant. We truly believe that the rest of the day was such a breeze because we’d chosen to steal each other away for a few moments before it all unfolded. And we are incredibly grateful to have chosen it. Thank you Val, for showing us this option. It fit us just perfectly.”